Israeli tanks open fire in Rafah

Published at: 14/05/2024 02:41 PM

In a significant turn of events in the Gaza Strip , Israeli tanks entered the center of Rafah, in an event that led to the evacuation of large numbers of civilians, because according to Xinhua, the incursion began today with armored vehicles that reached the Al-Geneina sector and are advancing towards central areas under active fire.

This military action follows a night of aerial and artillery bombardments, a fact that marks an escalation in ground operations that the Israeli army had previously initiated in eastern sectors of the city.

In response, the Al-Qassam Brigades and the Al-Quds Brigades, armed factions of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement respectively, carried out attacks against Israeli forces. For this reason, a joint statement was released indicating the destruction of an Israeli troop transport vehicle in the Al-Salam neighborhood by means of a projectile. In addition, they have reported the throwing of mortar shells at military personnel and machinery near the Rafah border crossing.

The tension in Rafah has led to the forced displacement of approximately 450,000 people since May 6, according to data from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which is why the agency highlights the urgency of a ceasefire, given the critical situation faced by residents, “mired in exhaustion, food insecurity and constant fear”.

XINHUA